Feeling Great Requires 8! When you’re feeling thirsty, nothing does the trick like water. Not iced tea, not iced coffee, not an energy drink, not even your favorite convenience store default diet soda. In fact, many of the things you typically reach for can actually dehydrate you, which completely defeats the purpose. You need water to rehydrate your body and restore your energy to meet the day’s demands. Water does more than just refresh you. It protects and moisturizes your joints, detoxifies your body and transports essential nutrients and oxygen into the cells. And when you’re on a mission to get fit, make sure to pay extra attention to hydration. Is staying hydrated one of those “easier said than done” things for you? Follow these tips to make drinking water an integral part of your day: • Incorporate a glass or bottle of water in every meal and snack. • Keep water with you at all times, preferably in a non-BPA container so that you are not ingesting particles of plastic. If you do use plastic water bottles, keep them out of the heat and/or direct sunlight. • Stay active and exercise regularly to ensure that you are more inclined to reach for water. • Set an alarm on your phone or computer that reminds you every few hours to tip back a glass of water. • Keep the benefits of drinking water in mind. We tend to make healthy habits of the things that are important to us. Think of your health, prioritize hydration and drink up. Need more convincing? Here are further reasons to keep the water flowing. Benefits metabolic function. For your metabolism to function optimally, your body needs to remain consistently well hydrated. For years, drinking a glass of cold water first thing in the morning has been recommended as a weight loss tip and metabolism booster. When your body is exposed to cold temperatures, it must work harder to warm itself. Cold or warm, water is key to maintaining a well-functioning metabolism. So take your metabolic rate up a notch with this simple step. Detoxifies the body. There’s no escaping them. In the air we breathe and, despite your best efforts, even in many of the foods you eat you are exposed to toxins. Hydration is essential in your body’s constant battle against them. So, give yourself the edge in cleansing your body of such harmful substances and flush them out (through our skin and kidneys) by drinking at least 8 glass of water daily, much more if you are working out. Regulates body temperature. Allowing your body to become too warm can lead to several adverse outcomes including extreme sweating, feeling weak or confused, dizziness, nausea, headaches and even your heart beating too fast. Water helps regulate body temperature, which helps prevent heat stroke and heat exhaustion. This is especially important to remember when exercising in weather that is hot, humid or both! Transports nutrients and oxygen into cells. We like food that tastes good, but as far as your body is concerned, it’s really all about the nutrients. Bottom line, the food and supplements you consume benefit you because of the nutrients in them. These nutrients, when delivered to your cells, help your body to grow, heal and prevent and/or heal from injuries and sicknesses. Water is one of the keys to delivering these nutrients, along with oxygen, into the cells where they benefit your body inside and out. Protects and moisturizes the joints. Where would you be without strong, healthy joints? Whether in your daily routine or your extremely hardcore workout, they make possible every twist, turn, step, lift and reach you make. You know that vitamins and minerals strengthen the joints, but you probably don’t hear much about water’s role in keeping your joints strong and agile. The right amount of water intake can help relieve arthritic pain, back pain and other forms of joint pain as it serves as a cushion for the joints. And if your joints are pain free and healthy already, drinking enough water is essential to keeping them that way!
Posted on: Wed, 05 Jun 2013 22:10:56 +0000
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